Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · 5d

Battleships. Top game choice.

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · 7d

This matters because one important question about the government announcement on a jobs guarantee this week is who it will be available too including is it only for those on benefits or for anyone out of work.

1 7

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · 7d

PM says on radio that there are 1m young people on benefits. Presume he meant 1m young people not in education employment or training. Only about half of them claim benefits.

4 11 41

Reposted by Ruth Curtice

Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · 8d

There's good news and bad news on household incomes.

While we've seen healthy income growth in the past 18 months, incomes have yet to recover from the cost of living crisis.

⬇️

1. the good news
Real Household Disposable Incomes (RHDI) have grown by a healthy £1,100 over the past 18 months (between the end of 2023 and mid 2025).

2. the bad news
So why don’t we feel richer?

Because incomes this summer were still £110 lower than they were in 2021, just before the cost of living crisis started.

3. beneath the averages

RHDI tells us about averages, but this recent growth will not have been shared evenly.

Food prices are rising sharply. Energy bills are going up right when the temperature is going down. Private rents are out-pacing wages.

Many families are still feeling the pinch.

4. lots of ground to make up

Over the past twenty years, Britain's living standards slowdown has cost families £20,000 a year in lost income.

Lifting living standards is the defining challenge facing Britain today.

4 4

Reposted by Ruth Curtice

JamesSmithRF @jamessmithrf.bsky.social · 9d

More on the frequency of fiscal events this morning. Most important thing to understand here is that our fiscal problems are NOT caused by too many events (or OBR forecasts)- they reflect weak growth and higher interest rates that have left the public finances stretched, making decisions difficult.

1 1 2

Reposted by Ruth Curtice

Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · 12d

Supposedly age has replaced class as the big divide in British politics.

For Chart of the Week, we've examined the dramatic evolution of Labour's vote share across the age and income distribution 🧵 ⤵️ buff.ly/2SuQ8TJ

2 6 6

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · 15d

Ha! I also worked for Osborne in 2012 so I know how hard it is politically to address those anomalies. Main frustration is with the whole political debate - we can't have an excellent free health service and an ageing population without asking some broad swathe of the population to contribute more.

8

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · 15d

Full report here www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...

Call of duties • Resolution Foundation

Ahead of the Budget, this report considers the options for the Government to respond decisively to a deterioration in the public finances while also making the tax system fairer and more efficient.

www.resolutionfoundation.org

2 8

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · 15d

Report out on tax options for the Budget. 2p income tax rise alongside 2p national insurance cut would mean no tax rise for an employee whose income comes from a job. With employment overtaxed at the moment, workers pay packets should be protected and distortions in the tax system removed.

2p switch from National Insurance to Income Tax could raise £6 billion while protecting workers’ pay packets • Resolution Foundation

The Chancellor should protect workers’ pay packets and level the playing field on how different forms of income are taxed – including a 2p cut in employee National Insurance (NI) offset by a 2p rise i...

www.resolutionfoundation.org

11 27 68

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · 19d

Key point from James on the public sector finances this morning. Receipts weakness important for the forecast. One more month of data will make it into OBR calcs.

JamesSmithRF @jamessmithrf.bsky.social · 19d

So what's going on? Unfortunately for the govt the biggest bit of news here was weaker tax receipts- cen gov receipts accounted for about £6.1bn of the £11.4bn overshoot in borrowing relative to the OBR forecast in the year to Aug. This is the bit of the pub finance data that has most signal.

4 8

Reposted by Ruth Curtice

Ben Chu @benchu.bsky.social · 22d

Poverty rate data from the IFS: ifs.org.uk/living-stand...

Comparative international pension data from the OECD: stat.link/v8jpaz

Post-2010 policy impact from Resolution Foundation: www.resolutionfoundation.org/app/uploads/...

ENDS

Living standards, poverty and inequality in the UK | Institute for Fiscal Studies

Key research, data and resources that show how and why living standards and poverty have changed since 1961.

ifs.org.uk

1 1 6

Reposted by Ruth Curtice

JamesSmithRF @jamessmithrf.bsky.social · 26d

New piece out today on recent market moves.
Key takeaway is that we shdnt be surprised UK borrowing costs are high given inflation struggles & reliance on foreign investors. Much of this is not about govt fiscal policy BUT risks mean a decisive response is needed from the Chancellor, BoE and DMO.

The Macroeconomic Policy Outlook: Q3 2025 • Resolution Foundation

UK Government borrowing costs have once again been in the headlines. Recent moves have, however, been overblown: since benchmark 10-year yields peaked at post-financial-crisis highs of 4.9 per cent in...

www.resolutionfoundation.org

1 6 6

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · 26d

Great to have Sophie back!

Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 26d

Exciting news: I’m back from maternity leave👶and so I'm diving straight in with today’s July 2025 trade data release. But after a few months away, I’ll also step back to see how trade has evolved so far this year.

1

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · Sep 8

You can see more about my comments at the summit here #HousingCommunitySummit

Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · Sep 8

Today our Chief Executive @ruthcurtice.bsky.social addressed @cihhousing.bsky.social Housing Community Summit to give a big picture overview of the UK economy.

🧵⤵️

1

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · Sep 8

That matters because moving more households from the private rented sector to the social rented sector could be big for living standards. Private renters have seen growth in living standards of only 7% over the last TWENTY years, and have grown in number.

1

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · Sep 8

The SAHP promises higher annual funding than at any point since 2011, with the intention it is sustained for much longer (ten years). Government plans don't look like a big shift in TOTAL annual supply of affordable housing cf to recent years, but the commitment to full social rent is much bigger.

1 2

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · Sep 8

Great to open the housing community summit today. Struck by the optimism of the sector around the Social and Affordable homes programme; but concerns on workforce (not just construction, also surveyors) and planning capacity. 🧵#HousingCommunitySummit

1 2

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · Sep 5

While it is sad to see the depth of problems at the ONS, it is heartening to see mistakes owned up to honestly and transparently. The start of fixing.

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Retail sales rise but ONS apologises as statistics crisis deepens

July data late, with UK statistics body admitting to errors in way it produces seasonally adjusted sales figures

www.theguardian.com

5

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · Sep 2

Deal!

1

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · Sep 2

Fantastic to work with @anandmenon.bsky.social and others on this report out this morning. Big takeaway from our panel - is the government prepared to take on fights this Autumn to make progress on these challenges. Nothing left to lose, or the window of opportunity to be bold already passed?

Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · Sep 2

What are the key policy challenges the UK must confront?

As we publish the Policy Landscape 2025 report with @ukandeu.bsky.social, @ruthcurtice.bsky.social and @anandmenon.bsky.social reflect on the challenges facing the government one year in.

Read it here:
buff.ly/Q7LSOmx

Quote from Ruth Curtice and Anand Menon: The most consequential choice facing the government after a tough first year is whether to be more radical in their pursuit of growth. We’ve accumulated a series of wicked problems that can only be effectively addressed over a number of years. Yet at the same time, politics demands quick results, not least given the state of the polls.

3 7 7

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · Sep 1

Re the mini shuffle my thoughts are with the Treasury officials who have to get used to having two ministers called chief secretary in government. Who will "the chief" refer to? www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...

Keir Starmer shakes up No 10 team with new senior minister and key advisers - latest

Darren Jones, previously chief secretary to the Treasury, will be responsible for helping to deliver the prime minister's priorities.

www.bbc.co.uk

2 7

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · Aug 27

Excited to do this collaboration with @anandmenon.bsky.social next week - come along!

UK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · Aug 21

📣 NEW EVENT 📣

Join us and @resfoundation.bsky.social as we launch the latest edition of our Policy Landscape report with expert analysis of the biggest public policy challenges facing the UK

📅 Tues 2 Sept, 9:30am
📍In-person (London) & online

Sign up 👇

www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/hot-t...

Hot topics, hard choices • Resolution Foundation

After a not-so-quiet summer, MPs are returning from recess to a torrent of public policy challenges. Immigration remains the public’s top concern, with the economy and the NHS not far behind. Defence ...

www.resolutionfoundation.org

1 2

Reposted by Ruth Curtice

UK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · Aug 21

📣 NEW EVENT 📣

Join us and @resfoundation.bsky.social as we launch the latest edition of our Policy Landscape report with expert analysis of the biggest public policy challenges facing the UK

📅 Tues 2 Sept, 9:30am
📍In-person (London) & online

Sign up 👇

www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/hot-t...

Hot topics, hard choices • Resolution Foundation

After a not-so-quiet summer, MPs are returning from recess to a torrent of public policy challenges. Immigration remains the public’s top concern, with the economy and the NHS not far behind. Defence ...

www.resolutionfoundation.org

6 4

Reposted by Ruth Curtice

Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · Aug 23

📣 We're hiring for a Principal Economist 👀

This is a unique opportunity for an individual who can conduct economic and policy analysis independently at an advanced level.

Full details here ⤵️ buff.ly/5pBKLDx

1 6 3

Reposted by Ruth Curtice

Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · Aug 22

📣 We're hiring! 📣

Do you have an interest in the economic and social policy of the UK and an eye for detail?

Find out more about joining our team as a Researcher ⤵️ buff.ly/EmREN1c

11 5